SECTIONS 19160-19180 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 19160-19180

19160. The county free library is under the general supervision of
the board of supervisors, which may:
(a) Make general rules and regulations regarding the policy of the
county free library.
(b) Establish, upon the recommendation of the county librarian,
branches and stations throughout the county and may locate the
branches and stations in cities wherever deemed advisable.
(c) Determine the number and kind of employees of the library.

19167. The county free libraries are under the general supervision
of the State Librarian, who shall from time to time, either
personally or by one of his or her assistants, visit the county free
libraries and inquire into their condition. The actual and necessary
expenses of the visits shall be paid out of the moneys appropriated
for the support of the California State Library.

19168. The State Librarian shall annually call a convention of
county librarians, to assemble at such time and place as he deems
most convenient, for the discussion of questions pertaining to the
supervision and administration of the county free libraries, the laws
relating thereto, and such other subjects affecting the welfare and
interest of the county free libraries as are properly brought before
it. All county librarians shall attend and take part in the
proceedings of the convention. The actual and necessary expenses of
the county librarians attending the convention shall be paid out of
the county free library fund.

19169. The county librarian shall, on or before August 31st, in
each year, report to the board of supervisors and to the State
Librarian on the condition of the county free library, for the year
ending June 30th preceding. The reports shall, in addition to other
matters deemed expedient by the county librarian, contain such
statistical and other information as is deemed desirable by the State
Librarian. For this purpose the State Librarian may send to the
several county librarians instructions or question blanks so as to
obtain the material for a comparative study of library conditions in
the state.

19171. The county board of supervisors of any county may in its
discretion allocate and appropriate any funds received by the county
under the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972 (Public Law
92-512) for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and purchasing
property for the county free library.

19173. The board of supervisors may create special taxing zones
within the territory of the county subject to taxation for county
free library purposes for the purpose of levying special taxes within
the zones when it is found by the board that the territory within
the zones require special services or special facilities in addition
to those provided generally by the county free library system and
that the special tax levy is commensurate with the special benefits
to be provided in the zones.
Taxes levied pursuant to this section, together with taxes levied
pursuant to Section 19170, shall not exceed the higher of the limit
provided by Section 19170 or the applicable provisions of Section
2263 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

19174. The board of supervisors may receive, on behalf of the
county, any gift, bequest, or devise for the county free library, or
for any branch or subdivision of the library.

19174.5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds from the
county general fund may be used to support the county free library.

19175. The title to all property belonging to the county free
library is vested in the county. All laws applicable to the
collection of county taxes shall apply to the collection of the taxes
provided in Section 19170. All moneys of the county free library,
whether derived from taxation or otherwise, shall be in the custody
of the county treasurer.

19176. Each claim against the county free library fund shall be
authorized and approved by the county librarian, or in his absence
from the county by his assistant. It shall then be acted upon in the
same manner as other claims against the county.

19177. In any county of this state where a law library exists under
the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6300) of
Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, the board of
supervisors of the county may enter into contracts, or agreements
with the board of law library trustees of the law library for the
cooperation of the law library and the county free library, and, in
that connection, may contract or agree with the board of law library
trustees of the law library that the county librarian and other
employees of the county free library perform the duties required to
be done or performed by the officers and employees of the law library
for a compensation to be named in the contract or agreement, and to
be paid into the county free library fund.

19178. The board of supervisors may accept on behalf of the county
free library, all books and other property of school libraries and of
the teachers' library, and may manage and maintain them as a part of
the county free library.

19179. Any county library which was established and existed on
April 26, 1911, under the provisions of an act entitled "An act to
provide county library systems," approved April 12, 1909, is
continued under the provisions of this chapter and shall be
considered the same as if established under the provisions of this
chapter. If a contract has been entered into between any county board
of supervisors and any city pursuant to this article, the contract
shall continue in force, and the provisions of Section 19112 shall be
applicable thereto, until the establishment and equipment of a
county free library under the provisions of this chapter, unless
sooner terminated.

19180. The board of supervisors of any county in which there has
been established a county free library which does not serve the
entire county may, on behalf of the county free library, construct,
build, repair or refurnish buildings to be used for county free
library purposes, payment for which may be made from the general fund
of the county. If payment is made from the county's general fund,
the county auditor shall each fiscal year thereafter transfer from
the county free library fund to the county's general fund as a prior
claim against the county free library fund for as many years as are
determined by the board of supervisors but not to exceed 20, an equal
annual installment in such amount that over the designated period of
years the entire payment from the county's general fund will be
completely repaid. Payment of the costs of the construction of a
county free library building may also be made from the employees
retirement fund of a retirement system established under the
authority of the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 as an
investment of that fund and under the conditions specified in that
law.